


i promise you this (and i hope that they see)

by thornapple (survivalinstinctvalkyria)



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: ESO prompt fill, M/M, Mostly Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-23 19:30:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20013625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/survivalinstinctvalkyria/pseuds/thornapple
Summary: "All this to say… if your promise of staying with me forever entails what I've described, then I'd like to promise you my forever in exchange."//ESO Round 2 Prompt Fill.Prompt #10: "Eichi and Keito exchange couple's rings some time in the current year and it's fluff galore."





	i promise you this (and i hope that they see)

**Author's Note:**

> I had to format this twice and it's 3k words longer than it should be but at least it's done

"Hey, Keito, do you remember our promise?"

The words are barely a whisper when they pass through Eichi's lips, but they're heard clearly all the same. Of course they are, it's Eichi — his brilliant, beautiful Eichi who commands tsunamis with the slightest lilt of his voice. They're not just heard, they're listened to, because every syllable from his friend fixates him and makes him hungry for the next, like Eichi is an ongoing manga that Keito is hooked onto.

"Our promise?"

When he meets Eichi's gaze, he's met with one he doesn't see often. It's that shy smile with averted eyes that Eichi sports in the rare times that he's not quite sure of what he's saying.

"'When you die, I'll send your soul to heaven', or something like that," Eichi clarifies.

Keito swallows, then replies, "Yes, of course."

"I was thinking— I mean—" Eichi pauses to take a deep breath. "You're… going to stay true to that, right?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"During the Tanabata Festival, you told me you'd watch me fall to hell." A pit drops in Keito's stomach just as a wave of discomfort sinks into the air around them.

"That was… look, a lot of things have changed since then, alright? The two of us didn't see eye to eye at that point, but that doesn't mean that the childhood we spent together has gone to waste. We're both a bit stubborn about admitting it, I think, but… I doubt either of us would let that go to waste — no, we'd fight to our bones to save it, even if it meant going against each other. That's what Quarrel Festival was for." In the few seconds that Keito pauses his speech, Eichi visibly relaxes, sinking back into his seat with a relieved sigh. "Actually, there was something I'd wanted to tell you, but I never got to say it to your face. Do you promise not to laugh?"

"I can try."

Keito wants to scowl so badly, but the quirk of Eichi's brow as he teases his friend is so customary to them that he can't help a smile. "I believe it was, 'I'm sorry for making you wait — I've finally arrived at your heart.'"

That uncharacteristic shyness of Eichi has melted away, cheeks flushed with a giddiness he'll probably never outgrow. "How romantic. Mizuhanome-sensei's specialty, right?"

"Oh, shut up."

Even if he acts embarrassed, it's not like he really minds. Not when every expression Eichi makes causes his hands to itch, and turns even the student council paperwork into a canvas.

There's that free laugh of Eichi's again, making Keito's stomach twist in circles because God, he's in love with him, and even if Eichi acknowledges it in these little ways, it'll always remain a shadow lurking behind them. Maybe it's better like this, with Keito quietly falling deeper in love with his friend in every moment they spent together, and even the ones they spend apart, because the last thing he'd want is to chain down that magnificent soul that left him in this state.

"Don't be like that, Keito. I'm glad to hear it. And, anyway, there's a reason that I asked. I apologize if I'm making you uncomfortable, but may I ask you another question?" Keito nods. "Then… I was wondering about our future. When you said you'd send my soul to heaven, were you implying that we would stay together until my death?"

_ Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. _

"I'd stay with you forever," Keito blurts out. "I'd stay with you until my death, if it came to that."

He silently hopes that it will. Silently because of how selfish that would — he's already braced himself for the heartache that will follow Eichi's passing, but Eichi hasn't. Eichi's prepared to always have Keito with him, a reassurance that even someone like him will never be alone. He can't take that from him.

"Oh." Eichi looks surprised, a bit abashed, yet unfaltering. "That's good, because I don't plan on dying anytime soon. Even if I'm prepared for it, that doesn't mean I'll complacently accept it. There are many joys in life that I was told I'd be denied of, one of those being the chance to grow old with the love of my life. I didn't even think I'd manage to find the love of my life, but… heh, I got lucky. Even if you reject me right now, I'll still be glad to have spent our time together up till now. All this to say… if your promise of staying with me forever entails what I've described, then I'd like to promise you my forever in exchange."

His face is a charming shade of cherry red as he finishes, staring directly into Keito's eyes with an intensity that unnerves them both.

"I-I mean, if I'm going to stick with you forever, then you have no choice, right?"

"Keito… " Eichi half-sighs half-whimpers, melting into his desk with a look of pure mortification.

They stare at each other, beet-red, for at least a minute, before Eichi huffs. Then, he stands, pushing his chair away with the back of his knees, and makes his way to Keito in five neat strides. Now looming over his friend, he wastes another minute staring, then huffs a second time, before straddling his thighs over Keito's, effectively seating himself in Keito's lap, still pouting as he fists both hands into Keito's blazer.

"I'm confessing my love for you and asking you to marry me," he explains with a mock level of autonomy. "So either kiss me, or tell me off directly, got it?"

There's a moment where they just stare at each other, Keito's mouth agape and Eichi's pursed into a pout — just a moment, because Keito already made his choice long ago.

So presses a quick kiss to the Eichi's Adam's apple, then another to the underside of his jaw, then his chin, before finally letting Eichi take the initiative to lean down and press their lips together properly.

The first thing that strikes him is how secure it feels, with his arms wrapped around Eichi's back and Eichi's around his shoulders, like they're shielding each other from anything that could distract them from this moment.

Except for each other, it seems, because Eichi leans a few centimeters away, kissing Keito's nose, and then both of his cheeks, giggling away like a child as Keito blinks with every press of lips to skin.

"I'm guessing now's a good time for me to tell you that I've been in love with you for the last decade?" Keito offers feebly, weak to both Eichi's kisses and the self-indulgent thought that hey, they just proposed to each other, he'll get to enjoy these little moments of affection for the rest of his life.

"Now's a great time, but… seriously? _Ten years_?"

"It's been a very exhausting ten years," Keito affirms.

"I've pretty much held ownership of your lap for their entirety, huh? Mind if I keep it for a while longer?"

"No one's pushing you off."

"Good."

Another kiss, or a few, they aren't keeping track.

"You need to make up lost time for those ten years that you wasted by keeping quiet, huh?"

"Shut up."

Then both of their lips are preoccupied, so it's a weightless order.

Their little banter lasts for the rest of the hour, ending when they belatedly realize that the school is empty except for them. Eichi calls his, now incredibly concerned, driver, and lets Keito walk him to the car.

The driver says nothing when Eichi expresses his goodbyes through a kiss and a "love you", but his poorly hidden smirk proves very telling.

* * *

Nerves burn through Keito the entirety of the next day. At home, he'd found that they'd oversimplified things far too much for his comfort, and he'd been left overthinking it and nearly toppled down the stairs leading to his home because of the distraction.

Are they boyfriends now? Can he call Eichi that to his face? Are they supposed to flirt, kiss? What are they supposed to do if the rest of the school finds out?

Eichi had his fun yesterday, today Keito is going to wrangle the answers out of him.

Or, so he thinks, because Eichi is seated on his desk, and just the sight of him makes Keito's tongue go dry.

It doesn't take long for their eyes to meet, and Eichi smiles. "Good morning, Keito."

"... Morning. Sleep well?"

"You're not my mother, Keito, but yes, I did."

"Good, I'm glad."

_ Maybe when we're married, I'll get to ask that first thing in the morning. _

It's a thought he wants to push away, something he'd have called a selfish daydream before, but now…

The if has become a when, and every minute that passes with their eyes locked on each other is another that reminds him of the gentle warmth of Eichi's body in his lap.

But that was in private, a moment that existed between the two of them alone, and now that they're out in the open again, it's melted into seafoam, and they're back to just being childhood friends. Eichi's eyes are novels, a script written in languages indecipherable to no one but them, so even if he can't touch Eichi right now, at least he can look into his eyes.

"We need to talk later, about what happened last night."

He catches Izumi's eyes on them, one eyebrow raised to implicate the worst of assumptions. Keito glares right back, hardly aware of the shiver that rushes through his body when Eichi's lips brush his ear, whispering something along the lines I'm always happy to talk to you, before hoisting himself off his desk to go bother Shu.

* * *

"What are we?"

The student council room has been deserted except for the president and vice president, who have long since abandoned work in favor of cuddling on the couch.

"I'm your boyfriend, if you'll have me," Eichi answers easily, head still tucked into Keito's shoulder.

"I'll have you."

Eichi giggles softly, nosing at Keito's neck with an affection that seems to pour out of him with ease. Keito shouldn't be surprised — he's a natural at this. Someone like Eichi, who's so willing to love and be loved, is perfect for someone like him, who needs prodding upon prodding to get out of his shell.

Eichi probably deserves better, maybe someone who will initiate intimacy, someone who can carefreely offer him affection to match his own, someone who can be effortlessly beautiful and shining — and Keito's not any of that. He's a stick-in-the-mud who needs to be coaxed into offering words of affection, someone who waited a decade to tell Eichi how he felt, and probably would've waited forever if things didn't turn out like this.

"Are you sure you want to be with me? You could have anyone."

"I could have anyone of my choosing," Eichi agrees, blissfully ignorant to the nagging paranoia tugging at Keito's conscious. "But I chose _you_ because you're the one I love."

Keito furrows his brows, like he's just been given a formula, but is completely oblivious as to how it works.

"Don't make that face," Eichi reprimands gently, reaching up to tug on Keito's cheeks. "Of course I love you; you're kind and comforting and never stopped looking out for me, you stood up to me when I did something you thought was out of line, you didn't treat me as some separate entity, you were the warmth that kept me alive, you… You don't give yourself enough credit. You've always been content to walk behind me or stand in the back, but I think you belong under the spotlight. It's a travesty that someone as wonderful as you can be so easily overlooked."

"Eichi…."

Keito buries his face in Eichi's hair, mostly to hide the flush spreading over his cheeks, but also to hide his relieved smile. How can Eichi call him the warm one, when he's just brimming with love and light?

"Haha, you're cute when you're embarrassed."

"I'm not. And, still, are you sure you're not upset that we can't do things like hold hands in public or go out on dates?"

There's a moment of fragrant thought, during which Eichi pulls away to look Keito in the eyes.

"I mean, I'd love to do those things, but it's not like I mind. We're idols, we're not supposed to date, period, you know. And who's to say that holding hands when hanging out isn't customary of childhood friends?"

"I'd say the general public."

"Who would think?"

Keito can't help kissing him then, when his lips are curled around a laugh so sweet that he might be sick.

* * *

It's harder than he thought, not being openly affectionate with Eichi.

He expected it to be easy, especially considering how distant he's always been, and still is. But it's the little things between them, lingering glances and the subtle brush of fingers, that are hard to resist. He's become so used to their usual play — Keito feigning indifference as Eichi cuddles up to him — that he feels somewhat disappointed every time his biting remarks aren't met with a kiss.

Of course, he understands why: they're idols, they shouldn't even be dating in private, but it feels wrong to keep it a secret like this. Every time they have to pull away because of someone's eyes on them, a guilty part of him starts fuming.

Why is he so afraid? Is he ashamed of Eichi, his beautiful, brilliant Eichi? Why should they have to hold back because of someone else?

Soon, though, the hasty make-out sessions that they sneak in at the student council office (always initiated by Eichi, but never halted but Keito) and the mess they make of their appearances add up, and the general student body starts to become suspicious.

There aren't enough excuses to justify it, and even Chiaki seems suspicious.

Which is to say, they certainly don't need to dig their own grave during student council hours only a few months after they start dating.

It happens exactly like this: Eichi has his arms wrapped around Keito's shoulders, standing behind Keito's seat and discussing the paperwork with him (no one seems to pay mind to their casual skinship, perhaps crediting it to the closeness of childhood friends), and he's about to leave, when Keito cranes his neck to place a kiss on his cheek.

He gains his bearings instantly, snapping back to see that Eichi (thankfully) isn't upset with him, and is instead glaring across the room at one Mao Isara.

Said boy stares right back, eyes wide as saucers, before he shakes his head wildly as if to say _I saw nothing, I swear!_

Eichi chuckles pleasantly, though it sounds much darker to Mao and Keito, then retreats back to his own desk. Yuzuru and Tori's eyes are glued to the paperwork in front of them, and soon Mao's are as well.

* * *

"I'm sorry, that was stupid of me."

"It's alright, Keito. I thought it was cute, honestly."

"But Isara—"

"Be quiet," Eichi hushes sternly, twisting around in Keito's lap to pinch his cheek. "You're my boyfriend, you don't need to apologize for being affectionate with me. And Mao's a good boy, he won't tell anyone."

Keito can't help shoving his face into Eichi's collarbone and letting out a sigh.

"That was so irresponsible of me. Haah, what if I do it again? Today was just one person, tomorrow's two, then three, then four, and it goes on… ugh, I hate this."

"I do, too. But it's worth it for you."

"Stop," Keito whines. "You'll make me want to kiss you."

"What's stopping you?" There's that grin, again, the truest of Eichi's smiles and Keito's absolute favorite expression on him.

The kiss is just them pressing their smiles together more than anything else, but it calms his nerves and turns off the filter on his tongue.

"It's so unfair. You're always so… so _alluring_ , and I just have to hold back. You should stop that, by the way, it's not good for my heart."

"You know, you're being awfully whiny for someone who held back for ten years."

"Oh, shut up."

There's a kiss to his temple, then a laugh. "You know, my family has a lot of power. Silencing the school wouldn't be too hard."

"Eichi."

"No, Keito. I love you, and if anyone has a problem with us dating, they're going to meet the wrath of _fine_."

The intensity of his eyes is hard to pull away from, so Keito doesn't, pulling Eichi into another kiss.

"We shouldn't be reckless."

Between kisses: "I'd rather live recklessly than with regrets.

* * *

Keito's almost not surprised to see Eichi sitting at his desk. _Almost_.

What surprises him is the small box lined with velvet that is placed dead-center on the desk.

"What on Earth—"

"Good morning to you, too," Eichi hums.

"You can't be serious."

"You know I'm serious." He wishes he didn't, he wishes he could ignore the intensity of Eichi's stare. There's the sound of a hand being slapped over someone's mouth elsewhere in the classroom as Eichi picks up the box and opens it. "I'm in love with you, Keito Hasumi, please stay with me forever."

Silence sinks into the room, slipping under Keito's skin and sending a chill through him. Everyone is watching, shocked more at the forwardness of this display than at its contents. Instinct tells Keito to cower away and hide, but he steels himself and stays put.

It doesn't matter what they think. Who are they to say that he and Eichi can't be together? Who are they to deny them of this? He didn't suffer through loving Eichi one-sidedly for ten years just to have someone else pull them apart once he finally got Eichi in his arms.

He can feel their classmates stares as he nods, and gives Eichi his hand. The feeling of Eichi sliding the ring — a gold band with a blue, cushion-cut diamond — on his finger is accompanied by the press of lips to his palm.

"Do you have a ring for yourself?"

"You have it, check your bag," Eichi whispers back, now holding Keito's left hand to his cheek.

Keito's left to awkwardly dig through his bag with his right hand while Eichi presses ludicrously soft kisses to his hand, wondering when Eichi got the chance to sneak it into his bag. Somehow he manages, and pulls his hand away from Eichi so that he can open his own box.

Too late he realizes that he never got to rehearse this the way that Eichi did, and he's left grappling for the words to convey the immense weight sitting in his chest.

"I'll treasure you until death does us part, Eichi Tenshouin."

The ring, he realizes as he slides it onto Eichi's ring finger, is green instead of blue — Eichi must have gotten them to match each other's eyes.

Someone wolf-whistles when Keito tilts Eichi's head up with a hand on his chin and kisses him. Before this, any kisses shared with even the threat of someone noticing were merely a quick press of lips, but they don't hesitate now. It lasts longer, long enough for Eichi to reach up and curl a hand into Keito's hair, long enough for their tongues to brush against each other lazily.

They pull apart when they want, not rushing for anyone. Chiaki erupts into cheers, clapping his hands together enthusiastically and prodding Kaoru into slowly clapping as well.

"You don't need to taint our classroom with such vulgar displays," Shu barks from his corner of the classroom.

"I'll kiss my boyfriend whenever I want, thank you," Eichi replies, all false smiles and politeness. "No one's asking you to watch."

"Doesn't mean you should be making out like that before classes start," Izumi dead-pans. "We already got the message when you started making out in the student council room, you don't need to show us."

"This really isn't much, though? I mean, I have plans for us to _properly_ consummate this marriage in the student council room later."

"No, you don't," Keito quickly scolds, but the damage is done judging by Chiaki and Kaoru's expressions. "And these are promise rings, not engagement rings."

If there wasn't joy coursing through them, perhaps their following bickering would have more heart to it, but when seeing the color of each other's eyes now reminds them of the diamonds on their ring fingers, they're unable to find any true contempt.

* * *

Eichi becomes relentless, trapping Keito with affection whenever they're within a foot of each other. Like now, as Keito sits in the archery hall with his legs crossed, Eichi sprawled out in his lap, and a cat curled up in Eichi's.

"Such a good girl!" Keito coos, letting Little John lick at his chin while Eichi presses soft kisses to his neck. The cat then turns to give the same treatment to Eichi's neck, and Eichi makes a surprised grunt into Keito's neck.

"Ah, that tickles."

He conceals a small laugh behind his hand, and, damn, if Keito wasn't in love with him.

"Waah!? It's Keito and Tenshi! Aah, Mama was right! Look, Suo, they're married!"

It's Leo, with a very flustered Tsukasa following close behind.

"Leader! Don't say things like that, you shouldn't give fire to rumors like that!"

Then he turns to actually look at the pair, and realizes that if this is how the president and vice president of the school conduct themselves, then those rumors might not actually be rumors.

Eichi smiles, one of those Cheshire cat smiles, and subtly moves his left hand to rest on Keito's chest. It's subtle, but Tsukasa notices it along with the ring catching light on his finger.

"Jesus Christ! R-Really?"

"Is it so hard to believe?" Eichi doesn't seem annoyed, just amused.

"B-But… you're the president and vice president… of a school for idols? Idols aren't supposed to date?" He doesn't look upset, thankfully, mostly confused.

"I've told you, Suou: Eichi's an awful role model, I just so happened to get caught up in it," Keito dead-pans.

"O-Oh, I see. Congratulations?" 

"Thank you," they respond in unison.

"Gaah, I'm feeling so much inspiration! I need to write a song!" Leo bursts.

"Not here!" Tsukasa screeches. "I haven't brought any pens or paper!"

"What are you, my mom!?" Then, an exaggerated gasp. "No, you're more like my husband!" Another gasp. "Marry me, Suo!"

"No."

"Why? Even Keito has a love life!"

"—Is that a surprise? He's so easy to love—"

"—Shut up, Eichi—"

"That doesn't mean _I_ need one!"

"Maybe not at this moment, Tsukasa-kun."

Everyone in the room turns to face Eichi, whose grin melts into a soft smile as he directs his attention to the cat in his lap.

"Maybe, at this very moment, you're perfectly content as you are. Don't change anything, in that case. But… if you aren't, don't be ashamed. Even if you think you're just fine without it, if you can get that out of someone you care about, it may be just the thing you need."

* * *

Okay, so maybe they can get away with their blatant acts of affection in front of their classmates, but that doesn't change the fact that Eichi is heir to the Tenshouin conglomerate, and he's expected to marry a rich girl and have heirs. What can he do?

Having quick make-outs with Eichi on his bed might not be the answer, seeing how the maids are already suspicious of them. He thinks that maybe this is a bad idea, before Eichi twists in front of him to get a better angle and he loses that train of thought between Eichi's lips.

As if aware of what they're getting up to, the knock on the locked door is sharp. They pull away instantly, faces contorted with anxiety. Eichi is quick to jump back, running a hand through his hair to futilely try and brush it into place, somehow completely missing the saliva on his lips.

(Keito's too busy being enchanted by the sight to wipe it off for him.)

Before he knows it, Eichi's opening the door, and greeting their visitor with a shuddered "Mother?"

"... Eichi," the woman responds, a tone of exasperation lacing her words. "What on Earth were you and Keito just getting up to you?"

"Studying?"

"Is that the word teenagers use for secret make-outs these days?" Eichi's mother huffs, then pushes her son aside so that she can walk into the room. From where she stands in the center of the room, she surveys her surroundings with that air of uprightness that she always possesses. She's the tallest in the Tenshouin household, taller than both her son and her husband, and even Eichi's lithe figure seems to shrink in her presence. Once she's done observing the room, she sniffs and then beckons Eichi closer.

Both boys are silent as she grabs her son's wrist to inspect the ring on his finger.

"An engagement ring?"

"... A promise ring, actually."

"You realize that your father has plans for an arranged marriage, don't you?"

Eichi hesitates for a moment, darting his vision around the room before he finally curves his lips around the word "yes".

"And you realize that idols aren't supposed to date?"

"Yes." It's a little firmer this time, more resolute.

"And yet you're still risking this? Honestly, Eichi, weren't you raised—"

"Did you love my father when you married him?"

A minute passes in silence, the room dense with tension.

"Because I'm in love with Keito."

Eichi's mother is silent, staring at her son, registering the intensity in his eyes.

"Keito-kun," she's made his name as threatening as possible, casting him a bone-chilling glare, "do you feel the same about my son?"

Why is she so tall? Probably for moments like this, when she needs to glare at her son's suitors.

"I do."

"And you realize that he'll most likely die long before you do?"

"I've… been fully aware of that since the day I first met him."

"You realize how powerful his position is?"

"It'd be hard not to."

"Good. Then I suppose you realize the consequences that would result of you hurting him?"

"Mother, he wouldn't—"

"I do."

"Then take care of him. That's your promise to me."

"O-Of course. I promise you."

Belatedly, Keito remembers that this woman isn't completely mental.

For all that Eichi complains about how she obsessives over fashion and fighter jets and how she's only ever treated him like a doll to dress up in matching outfits, they both ought to admit — she does have a heart.

Perhaps this was just the result of getting married to a man that she barely knew, and giving birth to a son that was almost surely going to die before her. Perhaps being the only person in her immediate family who didn't risk death just by overexerting herself was what led to her trying to cover up the broken patches in her family with frilly gowns.

Maybe the reason she tried to scare Keito off wasn't that she didn't think he was worthy of her son, but rather, because she didn't want him around if he was just trying to take advantage of her beautiful and blessed Eichi. Maybe she didn't want him to follow in her footsteps.

"Tenshouin-san."

Keito pushes himself off the bed, standing straight as a board in front of her as he grasps Eichi's free hand.

"Your son is the most interesting person I've ever met. He's more committed and strong than any manga protagonist that could be dreamt up — a facsimile of an angel. Every day I watch him push himself harder than everyone else, and every day I find myself more enraptured by his performances. If—"

"Keito-kun"

He freezes instantly, going cold as he frets over if he said the wrong thing, or spoke too long, or came off as a suck-up, but she doesn't look angry.

His anxiety must be written out over his face, because she laughs, and then, patting his head with her free hand, flashes him one of those angelic Tenshouin smiles.

"Save it for your wedding vows, will you?"


End file.
